Public holidays in India

India, being a culturally diverse and fervent society, celebrates various holidays and festivals. There are three national holidays in India: Independence Day on 15 August, Mahatma Gandhi's birthday on 2 October, and Republic Day on 26 January.^[1][2] States have local festivals depending on prevalent religious and linguistic demographics. Popular religious festivals include the Sikh festivals like Guru Nanak Jayanti and Vaisakhi; Hindu festivals of Makar Sankranti, Maha Shivratri, Janmashtami, Saraswati Puja, Diwali, Ganesh Chaturthi, Holi, Durga Puja, Dussehra; Islamic festivals of Eid ul-Fitr, Eid al-Adha, Milad un-Nabi, Muharram and Christian festivals of Christmas and days of observances such as Good Friday are observed throughout India.

The Day of Ashura, (10th day of Muharram), which in the Indian holiday calendar is referred to as Muharram, is observed by many sects of Islam. In addition, the Sikh festivals such as Guru Nanak Gurpurab, the Christian festivals such as Christmas, Good Friday and Jain festivals like Mahavir Jayanti, Paryushan are celebrated in certain areas where these religions have a significant following.The annual holidays are widely observed by state and local governments; however, they may alter the dates of observance or add or subtract holidays according to local custom.

National holidays

Soldiers of the Madras Regiment during the annual Republic Day Parade in 2004

National holidays are observed in all states and union territories.

India has three national days.

They are:

Date	English name	Commemorates
26-January	Republic Day	Adoption of the Constitution of India[3] (1950)
15-August	Independence Day	Independence from British Empire (1947)
2-October	Gandhi Jayanthi	Mahatma Gandhi's birth anniversary

Hindu holidays

People celebrating Holi in Delhi.

Hindus celebrate a number of festivals all through the year. Hindu festivals have one or more of religious, mythological and seasonal significance. The observance of the festival, the symbolisms used and attached, and the style and intensity of celebration varies from region to region within the country. A list of the more popular festivals is given below:-

For dates see:

Holiday	Observed in
Bhogi/Lohri	Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra (as Bhogi), Punjab (as Lohri)
Makar Sankranti/Pongal/Maghi/Magh Bihu	Andaman & Nicobar, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam (as Magh Bihu), Gujarat (as Uttarayan), Karnataka, Orissa, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Bihar, West Bengal (as Makar Sankranti), Pondicherry, Tamil Nadu (as Pongal), Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh (as Maghi), Rajasthan (as Makar Sankranti).
Thiruvalluvar Day	Pondicherry, Tamil Nadu
Vishu	Kerala, Tamil Nadu
Uzhavar Thirunal (Farmers' Day)	Tamil Nadu
Vasant Panchami (Aka, Saraswati Puja)	Orissa, Tripura, West Bengal, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra
Ratha Saptami	Maharashtra, Goa, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka
Maha Shivaratri	Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Chandigarh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Orissa, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal
Holi (Aka, Dol)	all states and territories except Kerala, Nagaland, Mizoram, Goa, Pondicherry, Tamil Nadu
Gudi Padwa/Ugadi/Puthandu	Maharashtra, Goa, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Pondicherry, Tamil Nadu
Ram Navami	Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chandigarh, Delhi, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Punjab, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal
Hanuman Jayanti	Maharashtra, Orissa, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh (as Bada Mangal),Andhra pradesh and Telangana.
Akshaya Tritiya/Maharishi Parashurama Jayanti	Maharashtra, Goa, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh
Rath Jatra	Orissa,Gujarat
Nag Panchami or Guga-Navami	all states and territories except Goa
Raksha Bandhan (Aka, Rákhi Púrńimá)	Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Bihar, Haryana, Orissa, Punjab, Maharashtra, Telangana.
Krishna Janmashtami	Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chandigarh, Delhi, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Punjab, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Telangana, West Bengal
Ganesh Chaturthi	Andhra Pradesh, Goa, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Telangana, Orissa, Pondicherry, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Rajasthan
Onam	Kerala, Pondicherry
Raja Parba	Orissa
Mahalaya	Karnataka, West Bengal, Assam, Orissa
Dussehra (Aka, Durgá Pujá)	all states holiday for 2 days in Andhra Pradesh, mainly in Telangana (after Bathukamma), Bihar, Kerala, Nagaland, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh holiday for 3 days in Orissa, Assam, Madhya Pradesh, Meghalaya, Tamil Nadu, and Tripura holiday for 6 days in West Bengal 11th day Bhashani Utchhav in Orissa
Kumara Purnima (aka Kojaagari Pornima)	Maharashtra (as Kojaagari Pornima),Madhya Pradesh, Odisha,Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal.
Diwali (Aka, Káli Puja, Deepavali and Diipávali)	all states and territories observed for 2 days in Assam, West Bengal, Karnataka, Orissa, observed for 5 days in Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh observed for 6 days in Maharashtra Vasu Baras (aka Govatsa Dwadashi) Maharashtra Dhan Teras (aka Dhan Trayodashi) Maharashtra, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh Naraka Chaturdashi all states Lakshmi Puja Maharashtra, Orissa, Assam, Madhya Pradesh, Meghalaya, West Bengal and Tripura Goverdhan Pooja all states Bhai Duj (Aka, Bhau-beej, Yama Dwitiya, Bhai Phota) Maharashtra, Goa, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh,Bihar.
Devotthan Ekadashi	Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and some parts of Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh
Hartalika Teej	Maharashtra, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh
Jagaddhatri Puja	West Bengal
Visvakarma Puja	Orissa, West Bengal,bihar.
Nuakhai	Orissa
Chhath	Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh
Bathukamma	Telangana
Bonalu	Telangana

Islamic holidays

Mawlid or Eid-e-Milād-un-Nabī being celebrated in a town in Uttar Pradesh.

Holiday	Observed in
Day of Ashura 10th Muharram. Death of Imam Hussain ibn Ali	All States & Territories.
Eid Milad-un-Nabi Prophet Mohammad's Birthday	All States & Territories.
Birthday of Ali ibn Abi Talib Terah Rajab Hazrat Ali	Uttar Pradesh and Bihar
Shab-e-Barat Mid-Sha'ban	Jammu and Kashmir, Haryana, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Assam, Tripura, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu
Jumat-ul-Wida Alvida Last Friday in Ramadan	Jammu & Kashmir, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh
Eid ul-Fitr Eid/Ramazan Id End of Ramadan	all states and territories
Eid e Ghadeer Eid/Eid e Ghadeer 18th of Dhu al-Hijjah	Telangana[4]
Eid al-Adha Bakr-Id Feast of the Sacrifice	all states and territories

Christian holidays

Shops selling Christmas decorations in Kolkata.

Date	Holiday	Observed in
24 March (2016)	Maundy Thursday	Kerala
25 March (2016)	Good Friday	All states and territories except Chhattisgarh
27 March (2016)	Easter Sunday	All states and territories except Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab, Rajasthan and Tripura
3 July	Feast of St. Thomas the Apostle	Kerala
8 September	Feast of the Blessed Virgin	Tamil Nadu, Goa, Kerala, Karnataka
3 December	Feast of St. Francis Xavier	Goa
25 December	Christmas Day	All states and territories
26 December	Boxing Day	Telangana [5]

Sikh holidays

A number of Sikh holidays are Gurpurbs, anniversaries of a guru's birth or death; marked by the holding of a festival.

Holiday	Observed in
Guru Gobind Singh Ji Gurpurab	Chandigarh, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab
Martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev Ji	Punjab
Vaisakhi	Andaman & Nicobar, Assam, Chandigarh, Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Nagaland, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal
Guru Nanak Gurpurab	Andaman & Nicobar, Assam, Chandigarh, Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Nagaland, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Orissa, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh and Jharkhand

Buddhist holidays

Holiday	Observed in
Losar	Sikkim, Ladakh
Buddha Purnima	Andaman & Nicobar, Arunachal Pradesh,Tripura, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Mizoram, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal

Jain holiday

Holiday	Observed in
Mahavir Jayanti	Andaman & Nicobar, Bihar, Chandigarh, Delhi, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Orissa, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh,
Paryushan	Andaman & Nicobar, Bihar, Chandigarh, Delhi, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Orissa, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh,

Parsee (Zoroastrian) holidays

Note: The Parsis in India use a Shahenshahi calendar, unlike the Iranians who use a Kadmi calendar. The North American and European Parsis have adapted their own version of the Fasli calendar. This is however looked down upon by a lot of the Parsis in North America, who continue to use the Shahenshai calendar. These differences cause changes in the dates of the holidays. For example, the Zoroastrian New Year falls in the spring for the Iranians but in the summer for the Parsis.

Holiday	Observed in
Nowruz (Parsee New Year)	Gujarat, Maharashtra, Pondicherry, Punjab

Ravidassia holidays

Holiday	Observed in
Guru Ravidass Jayanti	Chandigarh, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Delhi, Rajasthan,Jammu & Kashmir,Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Assam, Madhya Pradesh.

Ayyavazhi holidays

The Masi Procession to Swamithope Pathi during Ayya Vaikunda Avatar

Holiday	Observed in
Ayya Vaikunda Avataram	Tamil Nadu[6]

Secular holidays

In addition to the official holidays, many religious, ethnic, and other traditional holidays populate the calendar, as well as observances proclaimed by officials and lighter celebrations. These are rarely observed by Central government and businesses

Date	Holiday	Observed in
1 January	New Year's Day	Most of India
23 January	Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose's Jayanti	Orissa, Tripura, West Bengal
19 February	Chatrapati Shivaji's Jayanti	Maharashtra
15 March	Kanshi Ram's Jayanti	Uttar Pradesh
22 March	Bihar Day	Bihar
30 March	Rajasthan Day	Rajasthan
1 April	Utkala Dibasa (Odisha day)	Orissa
14 April	Dr. B. R. Ambedkar's Jayanti	Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chandigarh, Gujarat, Haryana, Jammu & Kashmir, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Orissa, Pondicherry, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal
2nd Day of Chaitra, March–April	Cheti Chand (Sindhi New Year)	Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh
15 April	Bihu (Assamese New Year)	Assam
15 April	Maha Vishuva Sankranti / Pana Sankranti (Oriya New Year)	Orissa
14/15 April	Pohela Boishakh (Bengali New Year)	Tripura, West Bengal
1st Day of Chithirai, March–April	Vishu / Varusha Pirappu or Puthandu (Malayali & Tamil New Year)	Kerala, Tamil Nadu
1 May	Labour Day (not a Gazetted holiday)[7][8]	Telangana, Assam, Bihar, Goa, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Manipur, Pondicherry, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, West Bengal, Orissa, Rajasthan,
1 May	Maharashtra Day	Maharashtra
1 May	Gujarat Day	Gujarat
9 May	Rabindra Jayanti	West Bengal
16 May	Annexation Day	Sikkim
15 June	Maharana Pratap Jayanti	Rajasthan
Purnima of Ashvin Month	Valmiki Jayanti	Karnataka
26 October	Accession Day	Jammu and Kashmir
31 October	Sardar Patel Jayanti	Gujarat
1 November	Karnataka Rajyotsava	Karnataka
1 November	Andhra Pradesh Foundation Day	Andhra Pradesh
1 November	Haryana Foundation Day	Haryana
1 November	Madhya Pradesh Foundation Day	Madhya Pradesh
1 November	Kerala Foundation Day	Kerala
1 November	Chhattisgarh Foundation Day	Chhattisgarh
3rd Day Of Kartika (month) Krishna Paksha (November)	Kanaka Jayanti	Karnataka
7 December	Armed Forces Flag Day	Indian military

Issues with large number of holidays

While having so many Government Holidays kept in line with the idea of peaceful co-existence of all religions, there have been demands from various public bodies that the system of a multitude of religious holidays is hampering economic activities to a great extent. The past two Central Govt. Pay Commissions [1] have recommended the abolition of all Central Govt. Holidays on religious festivals, and instead, substitute with three national Holidays, i.e., Independence Day (15 August), Republic Day (26 January) and Gandhi Jayanti (2 October).

It was also recommended to increase the amount of existing Restricted Holidays (Optional Holidays) depending on one's religious persuasion from existing two to eight. The rationale being, 8 holidays can more than cater for the festivals of any particular religion. So there is no point in having more than these many number of holidays, since religion does not warrant a Hindu to celebrate Eid or a Muslim to celebrate Diwali.

With the proposed system, however, it was left to the individual to choose which 8 Holidays to celebrate, irrespective of his religious belief. However, this recommendation has not been accepted by the Govt. of India, fearing a loss of popularity, and thus Indian Govt. continues with an unusually large number of religious holidays as compared to most other countries.

Holidays in government offices

Central & State governments in India annually issue list of holidays to be observed in respective government offices during the respective year.^[9] List is divided into two parts:

• Gazetted holidays (Annexure I)
• Restricted holidays (Annexure II)

Apart from this local administration at district level also issue list of additional holidays known as local holidays, which are observed at district level.

Central government

The Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions (Department of Personnel and Training) on behalf of Government of India issues a list of holidays to be observed in central government offices during the respective year. The list is divided in two parts i.e. Annexure I & Annexure II.^[9]

Annexure I

Annexure I also known as Gazetted holidays, consists of list of holidays which are mandatory once decided.^[9] This list consists of two parts:

• Para 2
• Para 3.1

Para 2

It consists of holidays which have to be observed compulsorily across India.^[9] These holidays are:

1. Republic Day,
2. Independence Day,
3. Gandhi Jayanti
4. Mahavir Jayanti
5. Budha Purnima
6. Christmas Day
7. Dussehra
8. Diwali (Deepavali)
9. Good Friday
10. Guru Nanak's Birthday
11. Eid ul-Fitr
12. Eid al-Adha (Bakrid)
13. Muharram
14. Prophet Mohammad's Birthday (Id-e-Milad)

Para 3.1

In addition to the above 14 Compulsory holidays mentioned in para 2, three holidays are decided from the list indicated below by the Central Government Employees Welfare Coordination Committee in the State Capitals (if necessary, in consultation with Coordination Committees at other places in the State). The final list is applicable uniformly to all Central Government offices within the concerned State shall. they are notified after seeking prior approval of this Ministry and no change can be carried out thereafter. No change is permissible in regard to festivals and dates.^[9]

1. An additional day for Dussehra
2. Holi
3. Janamashtami (Vaishanvi)
4. Ram Navami
5. Maha Shivratri
6. Ganesh Chaturthi / Vinayak Chaturthi
7. Makar Sankrantili
8. Onam
9. Sri Panchami / Basanta Panchami
10. Vishu / Vaisakhi / Vaisakhadi / Bhag Bihu / Mashadi Ugadi / Chaitra Sakladi / Cheti Chand / Gudhi Pada 1st Navratra / Nauraj

Annexure II

Annexure II also known as Restricted holidays, consists of list of holidays which are optional. Each employee is allowed to avail any two holidays to be chosen out of the list of Restricted Holidays. The Coordination Committees at the State Capitals draw up separate list of Restricted Holidays keeping in view the occasions of local importance but the 9 occasions left over, after choosing the 3 variable holidays in para 3.1, are to be included in the list of restricted holidays.^[9]

Central government organisations

Central Government Organisations which include industrial, commercial and trading establishments observe up to 16 holidays in a year including three national holidays viz. Republic Day, Independence Day and Mahatma Gandhi's birthday, as compulsory holidays. The remaining holidays / occasions may be determined by such establishments / organisations themselves, subject to para 3.2.^[9]

Union territory administrations

Union Territory Administrations decide the list of holidays in terms of Ministry of Home Affairs letter No.14046/27 /83- GP-I dated 15 February 1984 by which they observe a total of 16 holidays including the three National Holidays viz. Republic Day, Independence Day & Mahatma Gandhi's birthday.^[9]

Indian missions abroad

In respect of Indian Missions abroad, the number of holidays are notified in accordance with the instructions contained in Department of Personnel and Training's O.M. No.12/5/2002-JCA dated 17 December 2002. In other words, they have the option to select 11(Eleven) holidays of their own only after including in the list, three National Holidays and Diwali, Milad-Un-Nabi or Id-E-Milad, Mahavir Jayanti, Idu'l Fitr, Dussehra (Vijaya Dashami), Guru Nanak's Birthday, Christmas Day included in the list of compulsory holidays and falling on days of weekly off.^[9]

Banks

In respect of Banks, the holidays are restricted to 15 days in a year in terms of the instructions issued by the Department of Economic Affairs (BankingDivision).^[9]

1. Bank's Holiday
2. Gandhi Jayanti
3. Mahavir Jayanti
4. Maharaja Agresen Jayanti
5. Kashiram Death Anniversary
6. Dussehra (Maha Navami)
7. Dussehra (Vijaya Dashami)
8. Deepawali
9. Deepawali (Govardhan Puja)
10. Bhai Duj/Chitragupt Jayanti
11. Eid al-Adha (Bakrid)
12. Guru Nanak's birthday/Kartik Poornima
13. Dr. B R. Ambedkar's Nirwan Diwas
14. Moharram
15. Christmas

Restricted holidays

1. New Year's Day
2. International Women's day
3. Guru Gobind Singh Ji Gurpurab
4. Makar Sankaranti
5. Basanta Panchami
6. Guru Ravidas Jayanti
7. Chehalum
8. Holi
9. Istar Saturday
10. Istar Monday
11. Baishakhi
12. Janmashtami
13. Vishwakarma Pooja
14. Eid ul fitr
15. Anant chaturdasi
16. Dussehra (Maha Ashtami)
17. Maharshi Balmiki Jayanti
18. Deepawali (Narak Chaturdasi)
19. Eid ul Adha (Bakrid)
20. Guru Teg Bahadur Shahid Diwas
21. Moharram
22. Christmas

See also

• Bank holidays in India
• Indian New Year's days
• List of Hindu festivals
• List of Sikh festivals

References

1. National holidays
2. National and Public holdays
3. "Introduction to Constitution of India". Ministry of Law and Justice of India. 29 July 2008. Retrieved 14 October 2008.
4. http://www.telanganateachers.in/general-holiday-on-6-10-2014-bakra-eid-bakri-eid/
5. Dec.26 declared public holiday
6. Thousands take part in Ayya Vaikundar Avatar day - The Hindu, India's National Daily, 04-03-2012, ' " The government had also declared a restricted holiday on Saturday, for the first time, in the State in view of Ayya Vaikundar Avatar day. " '
7. http://india.gov.in/calendar
8. http://goir.ap.gov.in/CalenderYear.aspx
9. Holidays to be observed in central government offices during 2015 Note a new version of this document is released each year, and old versions may not be available beyond one or two years previous.  This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.